Federal Republic of Germany / Bundesrepublik Deutschland – Let’s explore here

Germany is an amazing country with a huge variety of beautiful landscapes. In a way, it’s much misunderstood in terms of tourism. In the south, where it borders the mountainous Alps, it has some of the most beautiful castles, towns and landscapes in Europe.

With over 84 million inhabitants, it’s the second most populous country in Europe. It’s roughly the same size as Japan, about 1½ time the size of the UK. It has land borders with Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland. Its highest point is Mount Zugspitze, at 9,718 ft (2,962 m) above sea level.

Current travels

We’ve created a blog for our visit to Germany. You may find it helpful, and you may pick up some tips, or more likely mistakes not to make that we’ve made 😉

This time around we travelled from the East of the Netherlands, through Bremen to Oyten in Germany, before heading up to Fehmarn at top speed to catch the ferry to the island of Lolland in Denmark.

Our best places in Germany

Freiburg im Breisgau

Freiburg is practically the gateway to the Black Forest, and so gets pretty busy throughout the year. It holds an excellent Christmas market as well, which is highly recommended!

Titisee-Neustadt, Baden-Württemberg

Titisee-Neustadt is both a spa town and a winter sports town. Its a great little place for a visit, having a lovely lake and some decent café”s. Being near the black forest, the gâteau is very popular!

Many of the roads driving to the town are pretty mountainous and therefore spectacular. There’s also loads of parking availability.

What’s it like to drive in Germany?

Germany is famous for its autobahns and the Nürburgring. Despite the reputation with fast driving, like many things in Germany, there is a great deal of order to travelling. Even on the autobahns, when there is no official speed limit on many sections, vehicles tend to average around 90 miles per hour. In general they do not tend to belong to the Colin McRae school of driving!

That said, there are certain pretty straight sections of motorways that are particularly quick, and some drivers take definite advantage of that, including me sometimes, I have to say! If you’re a careful driver, best to keep ti the two slower lanes. However, most drivers in Germany are pretty good and will allow you to use the fast lane no matter whether they’re travelling at 140mph or otherwise!

Road signage is excellent, making it a simple affair to navigate your way around. There are, of course, upgrades to roadworks everywhere, although they are not as prohibitive and don’t last as long as those in the UK!

Order is the name of the game in Germany. Should you make a minor traffic infringement, many drivers will take it upon themselves to inform you of your error! this mainly involves flashing their lights at you frantically and beeping their horns! Almost worth the effort 🙂

We’ve also created a dedicated page to driving abroad, which you might find helpful 🙂

What currency do they use in Germany?

In Germany they use the Euro. The use of credit / debit cards is now widespread. Traveller’s cheques are accepted. There are lots of ATMs.

You should make yourself aware of the amount that your bank charges you for using credit and debit cards abroad. Often credit cards are cheaper for purchasing items directly, and for withdrawing cash from ATMs.

What language do they speak in Germany?

They speak German in Germany. More than half the population speaks English.

What time zone is Germany in?

Remember, when you’re planning your next trip to take a look at what time zone it’s in.

Do I need a visa to visit Germany?

We’ve created a dedicated, more comprehensive page on visas, which you should find helpful. Check it out!

Is wild camping legal in Germany?

No, wild camping is illegal in Germany, although it is well tolerated.

Is it safe to drink water in Germany?

Yes, it is safe to drink tap water in Germany. Bottled water is also readily available across the country. 

If you’ve got some awesome pictures, or some useful info that you’d like to share, let us know! 

And don’t forget to check out all the other pictures!